Dear Cinnamon: The Lost Art of Having Fun

Dear Cinnamon is a monthly column based on the idea that all of life's questions can be answered by art, because, after all, art is the spice of life. To submit your own anonymous questions, fill out this form

Dear Cinnamon,

I remember in my 20s when holidays were also fun for adults. Now I just try and make sure I have enough candy and the right costume; my kid changed their mind about 40 times since August. How do I recapture the joy that is Halloween for adults?

I too was once—not sure what the current term is—cool, and am now a husk of necessary tasks and anxiety. When I get a glimpse of the whole person I was long ago I hold on tight until my kids tell me I’m boring and deflate my ego all over again. Hopefully my, not one, but two options wake your sleeping personality up even just for one night. Wear a costume, be a sexy cop again, and check out either Arts in the Dark on Oct. 19 or the Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade on Oct. 31.

Illustrations by Mat Huftalen.

Dear Cinnamon,

Halloween feels like it’s all about killing the environment with all the plastic masks, single wrapper candy, and costumes that smell more chemical than material. Is there a way to celebrate and also do something good for the world?

I bet you’re fun at parties. That’s a joke to get you ready for a night of fun sans promoting earth burning. For no excess, no bad vibes, and a do-good night out of culture this October The Moth is at Fitzgerald's with a theme of Goosebumps on Oct. 15. The Moth is a 501c-3 so yay for supporting a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to promote the artistry of storytelling and celebrate the commonalities in our human experience. Odds are someone will tell a story that will make you laugh, cry and not feel so alone in your endeavors as a person on this planet.

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Caroline Huftalen

Caroline L. Huftalen is the food editor at Third Coast Review and columnist behind Dear Cinnamon. Her reviews and interviews can also be seen on BuskingAtTheSeams.com. Huftalen is the founder of Survivors Project, Inc. which raises awareness for domestic violence by sharing stories of survival. A graduate of the University at Buffalo and the Savannah College of Art of Design. Huftalen lives in Chicago with her family and is currently writing a novel.